


Moments, Months, or Lives (I'd like You By My Side)

by burnerphone



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Bottom Wen Jun Hui | Jun, Developing Relationship, Epic Friendship, Established Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Yoon Jeonghan, Families of Choice, Frottage, I Don't Even Know, I just need more Gyujun in my life, Kim Mingyu is Whipped, M/M, Multi, Mutual Pining, Not Beta Read, Overstimulation, Post-Apocalypse, Post-Canon, Praise Kink, Romance, Teasing, This is an Indie Rom-Com set after the end of the World, Top Kim Mingyu, Zombie AU without the Zombies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:13:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24925204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/burnerphone/pseuds/burnerphone
Summary: Mingyu’s feelings on Junhui have, despite the end of the world, continued without restraint.And Mingyu, despite the end of the world, refuses to do anything about his quiet hell besides accepting his feelings and trying to go on living anyway.In some aspects, Mingyu’s life hasn’t really changed all that much.[Basically Left&Right/MyMy MVs as a family road-trip/idols in the apocalypse au no one asked for but got anyway.]
Relationships: Jeon Wonwoo/Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi, Kim Mingyu/Wen Jun Hui | Jun, Lee Seokmin | DK/Xu Ming Hao | The8
Comments: 6
Kudos: 102





	Moments, Months, or Lives (I'd like You By My Side)

**Author's Note:**

> I don't even know, only that I spent way too long trying to set this all up when all I wanted was Mingyu and Junhui flirting since I saw Left&Right and now over 8k in words later here we are. Anyways, picture a zombie apocalypse only with people just disappearing instead of being eaten. Also, random unexplained weirdness stays unexplained if only because it's from the perspective of Mingyu who has no idea why this all happened. Also, their families are fine. The background to this all is that Seventeen went to shoot a variety show at [RANDOM UNSPECIFIED ISLAND] and just everyone else disappeared but them. 
> 
> Listen, do think about it too deeply. I just wanted an aesthetic urban fantasy-ish AU ok. Maybe one day I'll condense all the SoonWoo that was cut out of here into a side fic and post it up or something idk.

The weird thing about the apocalypse, besides it being, the apocalypse was that some things stayed the same and some things didn’t. Their entire group was marooned on an island before the rest of the world was destroyed, but he’s sharing a room with Jihoon again. They have free reign over an abandoned city, and yet they’re all staying in one house and still arguing over the limited space and chores. Cellphones and wifi worked, but only a few websites did. The internet was perpetually spotty but still available. 

“It’s cause the towers haven’t lost power yet, neither have the satellites, but no one’s maintaining them so don’t know how long that’s going to last.” Wonwoo explains one day, dodging easily as Soonyoung and Junhui, who were supposed to be helping wash laundry, splash each other in the river. Seungkwan, Hansol, and Chan haven’t come back from their recon of yet another undiscovered part of the city, so they’re being proactive and washing their clothes in the river instead of waiting on the maybe promise of a washing machine undiscovered. The washing machine they did have is now busted since someone tried to wash their sneakers and put the setting too high. No one knows who did it, though Mingyu has a sneaking suspicion it was Seungkwan in the first place.

“Yeah but, why do some appliances work and some don’t?” Mingyu asks because that was the point of his question in the first place before Wonwoo went on some weird tangent about cellphones. Wonwoo continues wringing out the excess water from the boxer briefs in his hands (Minghao’s judging by the gaudy Gucchi pattern).

“That I don’t know.” He admits after a moment, with a sigh. Because for all his airs, Wonwoo is still only a year older than him and also susceptible to things like doing chores he wasn’t assigned to if only to catch a glimpse of the boy he likes shirtless and dripping wet. Wonwoo is after all, painfully still a dumb boy at times. 

Not that Mingyu can judge because he agreed if only to do the same thing. (Jihoon had rolled his eyes, shoved the nearly empty bottle of detergent at them along with a faded Hello Kitty plastic bucket and sent them on their way. He had not bought their sudden enthusiasm for a second.) 

“Then—” Mingyu begins, ready to argue some kind of point, if only to distract himself from the way Junhui was pulling up the corner of his t-shirt and wiping the sweat of his forehead, revealing the golden skin of his stomach. Or at least, that was till Mingyu got hit in the face with a very large splash of water, sharp and sudden enough to almost sting. The dishtowels in his hands, pink with Rilakkuma sunning himself on a beach, nearly dry, are instantly drenched. 

“Whoops, my bad Mingyu-ah!” Soonyoung cackles, not sounding very sorry at all. Next to him, Wonwoo takes a deep fortifying breath. Mingyu isn’t sure if it’s because Soonyoung had discarded his muscle tank a while ago and is completely at ease nipples to the wind, or if it’s because he’d been the intended target in the first place. Either way, Mingyu makes sure to slide to the left to avoid whatever reckoning was sure to come.

Wonwoo takes another deep breath, places Minghao’s eyesore boxer briefs on the rocks next to them, unconcerned for any stray insects. Quickly taking off his glasses and placing them in his pocket, Wonwoo only stops to dump out the dirty water in the bucket in his hands before running full speed in Soonyoung’s direction, scooping up water to throw his way. Soonyoung lets out a delighted bark of laughter, clearly unprepared for the devastation in his future, practically skipping as he leads Wonwoo on a chase.

Mingyu should have known this was going to happen. Wonwoo and Soonyoung have only gotten flirtier in their collected isolation, Mingyu’s pretty sure they’re dating at this point. Sparing a thought to the abandoned laundry around him, Mingyu considers drowning both of them. They’re going to be here for another hour at least and no amount of wet Junhui was going to make that ok. Even if he did go shirtless (well maybe if he went shirtless). 

“Do you need help?” As if on cue, Junhui appears to take Wonwoo’s spot instead, unbothered that he’d been abandoned. He does look apologetic, not that Mingyu can focus on anything but the way his white t-shirt clinging to him like a second skin, nothing left to the imagination. Mingyu tries not to focus on the dryness in his mouth. 

“Yeah, help me get rid of them and bury the bodies.” Mingyu whines, going for the distressed dongsaeng look he knows works on everyone else. Junhui, however, just giggles, a bright peal of sound, as he reaches up to pat Mingyu’s head. (His touch is cool from the river, Mingyu leans in more).

“Poor you.” He sounds like he’s laughing at Mingyu, but Mingyu can’t be bothered. The sun is starting to set, painting Junhu luminous in radiant pinks, oranges, and yellows. It’s almost too much, Junhui’s full of tangible, golden light that spreads from his sparkling eyes. Mingyu’s bad mood instantly dissipates like seafoam. The world suddenly falls to this golden, glittering man in front of him. 

He should be used to how quickly Junhui takes his breath away by now.

(He isn’t.)

*

The world’s ended, some things have changed and some things haven’t.

Mingyu’s feelings on Junhui have, despite the end of the world, continued without restraint. 

And Mingyu, despite the end of the world, refuses to do anything about his quiet hell besides accepting his feelings and trying to go on living anyway.

In some aspects, Mingyu’s life hasn’t changed all that much.

*

Mingyu wakes up to a packet of gummy worms hitting him in the face. He’s exhausted, cranky enough that he’s half tempted to yell at whoever did it, he keeps his eyes closed with a stubborn scrunch.

This time a full plastic bottle lands on his hip, dangerously close to his dick. 

“I know you’re awake.” Minghao announces unimpressed, he takes a loud vocal swig of something and it’s enough to rouse Mingyu to at least glare at him balefully. Minghao, covered in dirt and leather jacket ripped at the sleeves, grins. He’s also got the largest bottle of wine Mingyu has ever seen in his other hand. “Hurry and eat those already.” 

“When did you get back?” Mingyu’s tired, but his stomach gurgles pitifully. Begrudgingly he sits up to rip into the packet of gummy candy, reaching for the bottle of sports drink lobbed his way previously. “Thought you guys went on a supply run.”

“We did.” Minghao takes another swig of his wine bottle, despite the state of his clothes, and the scratches on his arms, he looks happy. Mingyu’s instantly suspicious but keeps eating. He hasn’t eaten in nearly a day, he had only meant to pass out for an hour, yet it’s inky black outside the window of his room. “Took you longer than usual to find Seungcheol-hyung this time huh?”

Mingyu continues to eat, not bothering with the obvious response. He should have known that something was up when Seungkwan had appeared with marching orders from Jeonghan and a chastised Jisoo in tow. At this point, fetching their leader from wherever he landed on the island was getting to be more like yet another chore than anything else. 

He’d have probably been more worried if it wasn’t the 3rd time this month (Mingyu’'s pretty sure it's been months, time as a concept is kind of hard to grasp now). It’s all starting to feel like some weird hobby of Seungcheol’s with Jisoo enabling. Mingyu doesn’t begrudge them—they’re all taking up weird hobbies, Hansol’s taken up jam-making of all things. Mingyu understands that it’s just something to kill time since they don’t have any other tangible plans besides surviving. 

After all, the thing about surviving the apocalypse was that no one ever really talked about what to do after. 

So, in theory, he’s not mad that he has to go pick up his hyung from where he almost blew himself up on a dare. He’s just disappointed, he wishes his hyungs would take up hobbies where combustion wasn’t a key element. Seungcheol hadn’t even been injured when they found him, pouting the entire time at Jisoo. Jisoo, at least had the decency to seem apologetic, even if it was obvious that he was still on Jeonghan’s shit list for the whole thing.

The awkward argument back the three of them had that Mingyu hadn’t been able to escape from was more taxing than all the climbing and trekking he had to do to even get to Seungcheol in the first place. 

“He landed farther out than before.” Mingyu settles on, wadding the empty bag in his hands into a ball. “How come you get wine?” 

“Your fault, you weren’t around on the supply run.” Minghao says, like raiding abandoned stores wasn’t one of their easier duties. “The only reason you even get snacks is cause Junhui felt bad for you.” 

Mingyu, while elated at the idea of a present from Junhui, can’t override his annoyance. He gets up to throw away his trash when he hears a piercing screeching sound from outside. Surprisingly Minghao doesn’t seem bothered, even as another screeching sound, higher in pitch joins in. There’s yelling outside now, distantly Mingyu registers Junhui’s voice along with Jeonghan’s among them. 

“Oh right, Seokmin found some alpacas,” Minghao continues at the horrified look on his face, finally offering the bottle up to Mingyu to drink. Mingyu takes it, pleased when he realizes that it’s mostly full. “We named one after you because when it first saw Junhui it panicked and ran into a wall and now it won’t leave him alone.” 

Mingyu chokes on his first swig and almost launches wine through his nose. 

*

Mean jokes by terrible friends aside, Mingyu can sympathize with his namesake. Even before all of this, he liked Junhui. Dwelling on how much and how long he’s liked Junhui however, fills him with so many different feelings. It’s almost too much at once, throwing himself into a wall almost seems preferable then comprehending the magnitude of it all.

He can’t even remember the exact moment he fell for him. He can, however, remember when he first saw Junhui. Mingyu can still remember Junhui, pretty with long hair, and barely able to understand any of them when he first came to the company. Before he became Jun, he’d been Wen Junhui—a beautiful boy with big almond eyes and dripping in accolades whispered about by the other trainees. (An award-winning movie star, a piano prodigy, someone looking to just add to his career—now that Mingyu thinks about it, it was all diminutive. None of the whispers ever covered Junhui-hyung’s love of bad jokes, the way he liked to mew back at stray cats even back regardless of who was watching, or the way his giggles sometimes morphed into cackles).

But back then he hadn’t known Jun. Back then, all Mingyu knew was that he couldn’t look away from the older trainee, so pretty and intimidating and new. Back then, Mingyu had thought desperately, young and foolish, that it would be a wondrous thing if he could even just one day talk to him. 

*

If trainee Mingyu could only see himself now, he thinks ruefully as Junhui climbs over his lap, scrambling to grab the drink that Wonwoo is holding just out of reach over Mingyu’s shoulder. Junhui, swipes at it a way that’s very cat-like and Mingyu would probably find adorable if he wasn’t currently sweating under the combined heat of the hot night air, and the skin of Junhui’s thighs in shorts hitting the skin of Mingyu’s artfully ripped jeans. He can’t see past the fabric of Junhui’s shirt (sleeveless _**because the world and Jisoo Hong are evil**_ ), but he knows that it’s the only layer of cloth between him and planting face-first into Junhui’s chest. 

Trainee Mingyu probably would have collapsed on the spot, ruining his future by expiring then and there. Current Mingyu’s not exactly having a great time of it either. He’s more than a little tempted to just blindly shove his elbow back and try and gut-check Wonwoo. Other best friend status be damned—Mingyu makes a mental note to tell Soonyoung that Wonwoo’s got a hidden folder of fancams from his stages on his laptop later. 

Because the rest of his group members are all jerks, no one attempts to save Mingyu, instead, they’re all continuing their impromptu backyard barbeque in full swing. Even the newly liberated alpacas don’t even bother to wander their way. Mingyu, face full of Junhui chest, tries to valiantly count to ten.

Around **_5_** , Wonwoo finally lowers his arm enough for Junhui to grab the plastic cup out of his hands. He crows triumphantly, leaning back only to take a large gulp of something that smells fruity and desperately alcoholic. He does not at any point move off of Mingyu’s lap. Mingyu watches his adam’s apple bob and tries to resume the counting desperately in his head. 

Junhui blinks a little before lowering the cup, only moving to make himself comfortable on Mingyu’s lap, wrapping an arm around Mingyu’s shoulders and bringing them closer than Mingyu was emotionally ready for. 

“Want some?” It’s probably a bad idea, Mingyu was drinking beers with Seungcheol and Seokmin earlier, and then split a bottle of wine with Minghao after that. At the same time though, sharing a drink with Junhui in a grade-school version of an indirect kiss is too much for him to resist. He is only human. 

Ignoring Wonwoo’s disgusted noises behind him (oh yeah, Mingyu is definitely telling Soonyoung that exact coordinates in Wonwoo’s folder directory to his fancam hell), Mingyu nods. Junhui smirks, guiding the cup to his lips and Mingyu opens his mouth obediently. Whatever Wonwoo made is awful, it makes his stomach turn at how badly he mixed this drink, and yet, Junhui’s arm is still around his neck and he’s still pressed so closely to Mingyu that he can’t even focus on the taste. He’s mildly surprised when Junhui giggles pulling the empty cup away and discarding it with a half-hearted throw at the trashcan behind them. (Judging from the indignant shriek Chan just made—he more than likely missed.) 

Junhui adjusts again, twisting easily to rest his hand on Mingyu’s chest as he leans on him. The lawnchair under them creaks in protest, but neither of them move. More lines of contact, the stickiness of his thighs full-on sticking to Mingyu’s. Beside them, Jihoon is passed out in the neighboring lawnchair, everyone else around them is a buzz of activity. Mingyu can hear some pointed suggestions thrown their way about the state of some of the grilling being done for dinner that he actively ignores. There’s the clatter of dishes being set on the table, some giggling that Mingyu knows from experience is Minghao flirting **_AT_ ** Seokmin than actually finding his jokes funny.

The stars glitter on in the inky darkness of the cloudless sky, the moon, luminescent overhead. It’s nice, it almost feels like back when they would go on vacations, only less cameras and less pressure. Even outside of Junhui’s presence on his lap, he’s happy. It’s startling how much so, resting his arms against the warm metal of the chair, feeling himself ease into it, feeling Junhui melting just the littlest more into him. 

The fluorescent lights in the backyard give everything and everyone a sepia-like tone, it feels nostalgic even though it’s happening to him right then and there. Desperately Mingyu wishes for a camera even though he would rather die than leave his seat. He tries as best as he can to commit this all to memory: Hansol guffawing as he presents his newest jars of jam to Seungkwan and Jisoo for inspection, Chan drunkenly trying to spit bars as Soonyoung cackles and wails along to some made-up ballad, Seungcheol insisting he is not drunk in a petulant tone as Jeonghan and Wonwoo tease him.

“It’s nice, isn’t it?” Junhui prompts suddenly, fond as he leans his head into the crook of Mingyu’s neck. Mingyu’s not sure if it’s the alcohol or just Junhui indulging him in skinship like they all do, but Mingyu’s surprised how quickly he had forgotten Junhui was there, how natural it felt to be curled up with him like this. 

“Y-Yeah.” He replies, feeling emotional about just, everything: how much he loved this moment and these people with him. Junhui makes a considering noise, doesn’t move except to take his hand off of Mingyu’s chest and intertwine their fingers together.

“Don’t cry Mingyu-ah, you’ll get a headache.” It sounds playful, teasing, and mischievous like Junhui always is, only his grip is soft, gentle and Mingyu swallows past the lump in his throat. Huh, he isn’t sure where that came from. His eyes water, the stars and the night blur together like a kaleidoscope until he’s able to blink them away. 

“Cry after we’ve eaten and Seungcheol-hyung sets off the fireworks.” 

Mingyu, responses slowed now that the alcohol in his system was all finally blending in his bloodstream takes a few moments to consider what Junhui just said.

“Where did Seungcheol-hyung find fireworks?” So much for hoping that perhaps Seungcheol had moved on from blowing something up. Mingyu should have known.

“Shh, it’s a secret.” Junhui whispers, moving to whisper into his ear, giving Mingyu instant goosebumps and unable to repress a shudder. Junhui, completely aware, makes an amused sound. It’s the alcohol more than likely but it almost sounds like a purr. “We’ll watch it together, right?”

“Of course Junhui-hyung.” Mingyu feels like his heart’s on fire, that his whole body is drunk on Junhui.

He’s so fucked.

*

Perhaps, Mingyu should have realized that resolving to never do anything on his ever-increasing feelings for Jun besides acknowledging them maybe hadn’t been his best idea. It was starting to seem less and less sustainable. Especially now since Junhui seems to suddenly be everywhere these days. 

Jun’s always helping him with chores, Jun’s always stopping by his room for something or another, Jun’s always at his side when they assemble for meals. It’d be a bit much, if Mingyu wasn’t a glutton already for his attention, so he eats it all up, doesn’t bother trying to question it even as a small part of him thinks, wonders, hopes. 

**_Maybe, maybe, maybe._ **

It’s always hard to tell with Jun, he’s always been flirty with all of them, good with skinship, indulgent and affectionate. Jun, who casually makes marriage proposals to Minghao then follows it up with propositioning Jihoon a minute later, while hanging off of Jisoo’s biceps. Junhui is...loving, very much so.

And yet, he’s started to direct all that affection Mingyu’s way now.

Mingyu, who thinks despite whatever, everyone else claims, thought that he’d done a relatively good job of hiding his feelings. He’s so used to just observing Junhui that to have all this attention, this sudden shift towards him feels…

It’s a lot. 

Almost too much to take in, his mind is in overdrive trying to interpret it all—he thought he knew the language of Wen Junhui all these years but he’s starting to wonder if he’s gotten everything all wrong.

It’s strange, it’s Junhui, but now it’s Junhui everywhere and Mingyu has no idea what to do. 

He’d never actually considered a possibility where Junhui actively pursued him. 

He tries, he does his best to try and remain unaffected, to act like he isn’t feeling like one of the fireworks Seungcheol had lit off on their rooftop, to not feel like he was about to burst and then slowly fizzle out in a shower of sparks.

Every smile Junhui sends his way, every small touch on his shoulder, every small affectionate glance sent his way, Mingyu feels like tinder about to ignite. 

*

Mingyu is in _**agony**_.

He tells this to Wonwoo and Minghao when he bursts into their shared room later, ignoring the open paint cans and wine bottles on the floor. Minghao was in a constant state of re-decorating, and the experience of being his roommate had given Mingyu the ability to avoid the perils of unsealed art supplies even in the midst of despair. He avoids splashing into the nearly full paint-can of red paint on Minghao’s bed when he throws himself on Minghao’s comforter. 

Wonwoo and Minghao continue their conversation for a few more minutes like rude hosts until Mingyu makes another distressed noise and Wonwoo clicks his teeth at him. 

“Ya Kim Mingyu, if you’re going to just barge in here you can at least wait till people are done talking.” 

Mingyu gives them both his most miserable look in response. Minghao’s only response is to move his hands to his hips, Wonwoo crosses his arms. The attempt at pity failed, Mingyu lets out another sigh. 

“Just because you two are happy in relationships doesn’t mean you can just ignore me, I’m the reason you guys are such good friends. I’m the reason for this roommate agreement.” It’s not exactly fair, but neither are Minghao or Wonwoo. 

Minghao lowers his hands from his hips and gives him a flat look. 

“We’re all members of the same idol group and all our spots are decided by rock-paper-scissors, dummy. Besides we have a book club—” Minghao would probably sound more severe if he wasn’t already walking over to move paint-cans and bottles out of the way to join him. 

“—None of you read anymore.” Mingyu interjects, dubious. 

“No one reads anymore.” Wonwoo corrects, irritated from the thinning of his lips but joining them to sit at the foot of Minghao’s bed anyway.

Mingyu considers the air between them.

“Is something wrong?” He asks, starting to notice that there's a pre-existing tension in the room. 

“Nothing’s wrong—” Wonwoo starts, preparing to shut down any concern almost instantly. 

“Soonyoung-hyung and Wonwoo-hyung are fighting over something dumb and both refuse to apologize. So now they’re both complaining to me and Seokmin instead of just talking to each other.” Minghao reveals as Wonwoo’s eyes narrow in unwitting affirmation. “It’s the dumbest thing to waste time on, the world’s already ended and they’re still acting like this.” 

“It’s not dumb. Minghao’s just angry because now he has to make an effort to get Seokmin’s attention and he thinks he’s bad at it.” Wonwoo fires back, Minghao straightens, expression blank. Mingyu, seeing exactly where this is all about to lead, immediately intervenes for the sake of group harmony, and also to spare himself from being added as another chain in this unneeded game of telephone. 

“Want me to just tell Soonyoung-hyung ‘ _ **you’re sorry**_ ’ for you?” Mingyu asks, knowing exactly which buttons to push to get Wonwoo’s ire onto someone else before the situation could escalate further. Wonwoo splutters almost instantly.

“I’ll tell Soonyoung I’m sorry myself.” Wonwoo declares, heckles raised. Realizing what he’d just inadvertently admitted, he tries to amend. “Not that I need to since I did nothing wrong.” 

Minghao groans and cradles his face into his hands.

“I’m only forgiving you for that shitty, shitty comment because I know you’re only saying it cause you panicked and didn’t mean for it to come out like that.” He announces to his palms, refusing to even dignify Wonwoo with a look. Mingyu frowns at the hypocrisy. 

“—Well, ok but you do that stuff too and I haven’t made you apologize for any of it.” Mingyu interrupts, feeling just the littlest bit disappointed in the both of them. Because they’re his best friends though, they seem to get it by the tone of his voice. Minghao raises his head from his hands, and Wonwoo sags just the littlest bit. “Can we just talk about what happened and how to fix it already?”

And to think **_HE_ ** was the one who came in here for help. 

“We had an argument.” Wonwoo begins, voice considering, unsure, as if maybe finally realizing that maybe it hadn’t been worth it after all. 

“Tell him what you were arguing about though.” Minghao prompts after Wonwoo lets a few seconds pass, not elaborating any further. Wonwoo, defeated, and at least openly apologetic to Minghao, relents at the command. 

“It sounds bad now…” 

*

It is a dumb argument.

It is perhaps the dumbest argument to get into a fight and almost ruin two, potentially three, friendships over. 

“You’re mad because you asked him to ** _pick between you and a tiger_** even though he still chose you, **_you’re mad that he took a while to say it_**?” Mingyu repeats, not for clarification, but just emphasize how dumb Jeon Wonwoo, the guy who prided himself on his stoic and mature image was being. “You’re mad that he chose you?”

“He didn’t choose me immediately as a joke and I didn’t find it funny.” Wonwoo tries to deflect, even if he’s starting to sound increasingly less convinced of his position. “So I...escalated.” 

“You asked him as a joke in the first place! You know how he feels about you.” Everyone has unfortunately seen how Soonyoung feels about Wonwoo, they’re not exactly shy when it comes to PDA. “Even if it hurt your feelings, you shouldn’t have tried to hurt his back. He probably would have apologized if you hadn’t tried to make him feel bad in retaliation, what kind of boyfriend are you?” 

Wonwoo opens his mouth, then closes it, averting his eyes in a way that Mingyu knows means he’s aware Mingyu’s right but he doesn’t want to just admit it yet. 

“Now you see what I’ve been living with for days.” Minghao laments, with a wave of his arms for emphasis. “They both want to apologize to each other but they’re both stubborn.” 

Wonwoo again, says nothing, stewing in his silence. 

“I mean, it’s just kind of sad. We already survived the world ending, wouldn’t spending time with Soonyoung-hyung matter more to you than admitting you were wrong? Especially since we don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow.” Mingyu’s admittedly unaware he’s saying any of this out loud till he catches the looks on Minghao and Wonwoo’s faces. To be fair, he’s spent so much time stressed out over what do or not do about Junhui, he’s been vocalizing his thoughts out loud more if only to make sense of them for the time being. It’s a holdover from their time as trainees when the anxiety was getting too much and his thoughts were so muddled he couldn’t think of anything to write for his parts in songs. “...What? What did I do?”

It takes a few minutes for Minghao and Wonwoo to recover, when they do, they reach over and pull him into a group hug. It all happens within the span of a few seconds. 

Mingyu is confused but delighted by the turn of events. He’s also delighted to hear Wonwoo whisper a soft apology that Minghao assures him isn’t needed. 

Alright then. 

*

“You said you needed our help?” Wonwoo realizes, pulling away to peer at Mingyu as if finally remembering why Mingyu came into their room in the first place. Mingyu, who had similarly forgotten about it all, blinks. 

Oh, that.

_**Right.** _

Mingyu shrugs. 

Inadvertently, Minghao and Wonwoo may just given him the answer to his dilemma, in a roundabout way. 

“Don’t worry about it.” 

*

If he gets down to it, really thinks it over, it comes down to the fact that Mingyu has never really examined why he had resolved to never, ever tell Junhui about his feelings. Not till now anyway. It was just an unquestioned holdover from when they were still idols, when their new-found home had been just a stopover on their way to another filming location, when the world had still been functioning.

**_Why doesn’t he tell Junhui how he feels?_ **

After all, he told Wonwoo the world had ended and what was he waiting for?

" _ **What are you waiting for**_?” a voice that sounds suspiciously like Junhui in his head asks and Mingyu doesn’t...he doesn’t know.

But he knows, what’s been stopping him, even before all of this.

It was never really a rejection he was afraid of. 

The idea of being rejected isn’t terrifying, _**it’s the unknown that would follow immediately after**_ he’s finally confessed. He’s been in love with Junhui for so long, the idea of any change to that status quo, is terrifying. Good or bad, things would need to change after. It would be a change that he would have to sign off on. The first change he’s had to consciously make in this brave new world.

But Mingyu knows it’s selfish, knows that as much as he wants to hold onto one constant from before everything changed, it’s impossible.

He didn’t know what was in store for any of them. The more he thought about it, the less sense it was starting to make. He liked Jun, at this point, he’s sure he’s in love with him.

And like that it hits him. That the scenario of something terrible happening and Junhui never knowing, of Mingyu regretting never saying anything….is too much to bear.

Suddenly, he can’t not tell Junhui.

Even in the face of rejection or losing the biggest secret he’s ever kept to himself, the alternative turns his stomach.

*

He’s pretty sure Wonwoo or Minghao (more than likely both of them, the traitors, and after all Mingyu has just done for them) has said something because Junhui is sitting on his bed waiting for him after Mingyu does a maybe panic run around the neighborhood to try and get some semblance of his head together. 

He’d resolved to tell Junhui but...he hadn’t expected to do it so soon. He’d needed a night or something, he’d been trying to think of romantic gestures, he had a whole tentative plan in his head. 

But well, Junhui is here now, sitting on his bed and smiling at him, warm and inviting and just—

The run Mingyu went around the neighborhood to collect his thoughts and maybe try to brainstorm confession ideas was now in hindsight, a terrible idea. If anything the adrenaline pumping through his veins from the run has only made things worse, now he’s hyper-aware of the recline of Junhui’s body even as his fingers drum nervously on Mingyu’s bedspread. 

“Hyung, what are you doing here?” It’s probably not what he should have led with but let it not be said that Mingyu isn’t great at shooting himself in the foot. He tries not to wince at how winded he sounds, how gross he must seem, sweaty in the worst ways with his shirt sticking to him unattractively. He looks and feels terrible and none of this is going well already. 

“I—” Junhui for as relaxed as he seemed earlier, tenses, nervously fiddling with the cut-off strings on his denim shorts. Coming to some kind of resolution, he gets up off of Mingyu’s bed and strides up to him, jaw set and shoulders back—it’d be adorable if Mingyu wasn’t currently in agony trying to figure out just exactly what was going on. The tips of his ears are red and he’s trying not to show how much he’s staring at Mingyu’s body this close but he’s hiding it badly. “I want to—just, let me know if this is ok?”

It sounds so small, so hesitant—Mingyu’s chest tightens. He nods, confused and trying to figure out if this was going to lead to some elaborate rejection speech and really, he hadn’t even gotten to confessing and Jun was—

Jun kisses him.

It’s quick, shy, and Junhui immediately leans back, fingers already twitching in a sign he’s apprehensive and—

Mingyu leans down to return the kiss before either of them can second guess it. 

As far as kisses go, they’re both pretty terrible, but they’re both with Junhui so Mingyu counts them as the best he’s ever had. It’s only when Junhui relaxes and starts to reciprocate, leaning forward to rest his hand on Mingyu’s bicep as he opens his mouth more to deepen the kiss that it truly starts to get good.

Mingyu’s instantly addicted, he can’t think past anything but Junhui and Junhui’s lips until his mind seems to get past the fog of finally, finally kissing Jun and he has to separate and comprehend that _**HE IS KISSING JUN**_.

“Wait, wait—Jun, I—do you like me?” The very flat look Junhui gives him at the question is so shockingly similar to Minghao’s Mingyu almost has a heart attack. It’s not exactly an answer though, Junhui however, makes a similar petulant expression back at him. 

“Do you like me?” He returns, even though Mingyu would think that it would have been glaringly obvious from all of this but well, that’s fair. And...he was going to confess in the first place...though he had planned on at least having flowers when he did it.

It still takes him a few minutes to try and gather into words just how much he likes Jun. He’s sadly unable to be anything but honest.

“I like you a lot Junnie-hyung. I like you so much and I’ve liked you for so long—I think I’m in love with you.” It’s not exactly what he wants to say, it’s clumsy and over-simplifies everything but it’s so, so worth it for the fond look on Junhui’s face. “I wasn’t going to tell you and I realize now that—”

Junhui’s expression immediately drops, Mingyu realizing he has just botched his own much-anticipated, never fully vocalized confession instantly tries to think of a way to salvage his own running mouth. 

“Why weren’t you going to?” Junhui interrupts Mingyu’s spluttering and clumsy attempts to try and get his confession back on track. His expression is blank now, the same expression Mingyu’s seen him use on the rare times Jun has gotten into arguments with other people and Mingyu despairs he may have just ruined something that didn’t even give a chance to begin. “Did you not want me to know?” 

Oh no, it got _**worse**_. 

“No, no, no—of course not, I was just—” Mingyu might as well just go for broke, anything was better than this stone-faced Jun before him. He gives a defeated sigh. “—I was scared. I wasn’t scared of you rejecting me, I was just—scared. I didn’t even realize how scared I was.” 

It’s enough of a surprise that Junhui’s facade cracks the littlest bit and he blinks at Mingyu: “Am I that scary?”

“No, it wasn’t you. I was scared of things changing. I’ve liked you for so long and without saying anything that it just seemed easier, at first. I knew that if I told you, something would have to change. Everything’s already changed so much I wanted at least one thing to stay the same. But I realize now that’s impossible and it sounds...dumb.” Well, not as dumb as getting in a fight over an animal but saying his reason out loud about what happened is enough for Mingyu 

Junhui, surprised despite himself lets out a shocked peal of laughter, his nose crinkles in a way that is definitely not pretty but Mingyu loves him so much he doesn’t care. 

“You’re right Gyu-ah, that is the dumbest thing.” Junhui scoffs, softening despite his words as he moves closer to wrap his arms around Mingyu’s neck, grinning at him. “You’re so silly, that didn’t even make any sense.”

“I know that now…” Mingyu’s not going to tell Jun that it took an even DUMBER argument for him to see that. (Not yet anyway). “You didn’t even tell me how you feel about me.” 

“Well, I thought I was obvious how I felt.” Junhui reaches up to brush the hair out of Mingyu’s face with a titter. “I was starting to wonder if you even noticed.” 

“Junhui—you told Jisoo you wished he would bench press you an hour ago.” Mingyu argues, for the sake of his dignity. Junhui gives him that disapproving look again and it’s a lot hotter than it has any right to be. Especially since it’s directed specifically at him. 

“Yes, but I wasn’t sitting in his lap and feeling up his chest Mingyu-ya.” Junhui points out and oh, huh. Mingyu hadn’t... considered that. “I was worried I scared you off—”

“Are you kidding me? I had to take cold showers for days thanks to that night.” He remembers cause Seungkwan kept shooting him increasingly disappointed looks with how long Mingyu’s showers were taking and how much they were cutting into Seungkwan’s own regimented skincare routine bathroom time. “If anything I liked that night too much.”

What Mingyu doesn’t expect is for Junhui to smirk at him, biting his bottom lip. Mingyu belated notes that Jihoon is pointedly missing from their shared room despite it being evening. Mingyu takes in Junhui’s shorts, his loose-fitting tank that would be so easy for Mingyu to slide to the side and reveal his chest. 

**_Huh._ **

“Want to show me just how much you liked it?” Junhui teases, tone mischievous as always even as his eyes hold promise and Mingyu is distressed to find he’s already sadly feeling his dick twitch in interest at that tone.

Fine.

Two could play at that game.

"Thought you'd never ask." 

*

Mingyu learns a few quick things about Junhui and his body within the span of an hour. He learns the slopes of Junhui's body by touch, the taste of his chest, the small noises he makes when Mingyu bites his nipples then nurses them better with his tongue, how easily and loudly Junhui's body responds to him. Junhui whines, whimpers, and nearly mewls when Mingyu marks his body up, bites and soothes every inch he can reach. 

Mingyu also learns that Jun likes it rough.

Mingyu's about to go down on Junhui, idly stroking his perineum as he watches Junhui cry out into his sheets. Mingyu's hoping to work open Junhui with mouth and tongue when Junhui suddenly twists away from him, nudging him very powerfully and suddenly with his knees. Mingyu blinks.

"I need to suck your dick, please Mingyu." Junhui says, rising with some difficulty (Mingyu would feel proud of the way Junhui needs a few minutes to work past the fog in his brain to move if he wasn't currently trying not to come at just the suggestion that Junhui wanted to blow him. He's already worried how quickly his own sex life will kill him.)

Mingyu's sitting on the edge of his bed, trying not to come from just the image of Junhui between his knees alone. Junhui, as if expecting all of this, lays his hands on Mingyu's thighs, leans over to give a soft kiss on one of them that ends with a bite that has Mingyu's dick already hard, leaks even more precome. 

Junhui doesn't bother warning him, just swallows down as much of Mingyu as he can. He starts to duck his head, drool collecting in the corners of his mouth as he sucks. Mingyu's dick keeps hitting the back of his throat, the open invitation of Junhui's lips wrapped around his cock, the warm cavern of his mouth is almost too much. Mingyu's hips twitch with the need to thrust in further, to take more—

But he's trying to be considerate, gently patting Junhui's head as he tries not to just fuck into his mouth, grab his hair, and generally do the terrible things he's fantasized about for so long or done with partners that were a lot more demanding. He doesn't want to scare of Junhui. It's embarrassing, he wants to just be happy with how Junhui's already giving him a blowjob. Pretty Junhui on his knees and so desperate to have Mingyu come down his throat is enough for him.

It's good like this, he can come like this.

It's fine.

Apparently, Junhui doesn't think so. After a few minutes, Mingyu feeling closer to orgasm than ever, he releases Mingyu's dick, letting it hang in front of him as he glances up with a questioning gaze. 

Junhui more amused than he has any right to be, tilts his head at Mingyu's expression: "Did you think I was a virgin?"

"N-No, I just, it's—" Mingyu's so horny he can't even see straight, but he's not delusional. Besides, Mingyu's not exactly a virgin either. It's just, it's Junhui and he's spent so long like him that its hard to just take what he wants. Besides, it's so unfair to ask that question when Junhui's not even listening, lips going back to wrapping around Mingyu's dick, and not even trying to listen to Mingyu's defenses. Junhui makes eye contact and smirks, and god, it's the killing blow. "Junhui-hyung please I—"

Junhui pops his mouth off of Mingyu's dick, still smiling, a trail of saliva is connected from his very shiny lips to Mingyu's very hard dick and that's it. Mingyu's going to die, right here, right now. 

"You're so handsome, I didn't realize how cute you'd be about this either."

Mingyu wants to point out Junhui's the cute one, almost opens his mouth to say it but instantly feels like his brain is short-circuiting cause Junhui idly runs his tongue over the vein on his cock and Mingyu's so close to coming he can taste the burn in the back of HIS throat. 

"Then fuck my mouth like we both want you too." Junhui challenges before going back to giving Mingyu the best blowjob of his life, reaching for his hands and directing them to tangle in his hair. "I can take it, I like it that way." 

So Mingyu does, he tangles his fingers in Junhui's hair and tugs. He takes and takes like he's wanted, fucking Junhui's throat without any finesse, just desperate to have more and more of his heat around his dick. His thrusts are probably rougher than he means to make them but Junhui just makes pleased noises in the back of his throat, the vibrations around his dick make Mingyu almost blackout. He can't stop talking, praising Junhui, telling him how beautiful he is, how much he wants to fuck Junhui, how he'll let Junhui do anything to him if he just keeps this up and— He doesn't have time to warn Jun before his orgasm takes him, Jun does something that makes him see white, feeling his legs shake with how fucking good it feels to come down Junhui's throat, accidentally pulling too hard and forcing him to almost choke on his dick. Junhui swallows, Mingyu feels oversensitive, raw, and full of static when he eventually has to push Junhui's mouth away, too much and too soon. Mingyu's come is leaking out of the corners of his mouth, Junhui uses one of his balled-up fists to wipe it away, licking his hand after and Mingyu almost falls to the floor. That's it, his hyung is so much sexier than he thought _**POSSIBLE**_.

"Aww, are you tired already?" His voice is hoarse and it's so hot, Mingyu has to kiss him. He bends down to help Jun up, tries to redirect them back to his bed as he captures Jun's mouth. He tastes himself on Jun's tongue and considers if this is how he dies, it will be the happiest day of his life. "Give me a minute." He whimpers, feeling like Junhui's the one who fucked him already and so, so ok with that. He can feel how hard Junhui is, how wet his dick is with precome as it slides against Mingyu's. Junhui somehow settles himself on top of Mingyu, lazily kissing him as one of his hands runs down to wrap a hand around their cocks. "Mingyu-ya, how would you feel about me riding you?" Mingyu moans, the images filling his head almost instantly, to see the flex of Junhui's thighs as he takes Mingyu as deep as he can, to feel Junhui from the inside out.

Scratch that, this is how he's going to die.

Junhui's going to kill him with sex and he's going to die the happiest man ever.

"I would like it so much Hyung." He agrees, swallowing past how sensitive he still is to try and reverse their positions, taking Junhui's hand away from his dick to push them both above his head when he finally gets Junhui under him. He can feel the way Junhui's dick leaks more precome at that.

"You're so pretty Junhui, I can't wait to ruin you." Mingyu growls, delighting at the half-lidded look Junhui sends him, licking his lips in a challenge.

*

Junhui is tight, he's so fucking tight that Mingyu almost comes right then and there, it's impossible to do anything but make pained noises. He wants so badly to just grab onto Junhui's hips and bruise them, force Junhui to take him so hard, so well, come so deep inside. Junhui lets out a long exhale.

"You're so good for me." Junhui murmurs distracted as he gets accustomed to Mingyu's stretch, his thighs tensed as he tries to control the pace. Without warning, he suddenly slams down again onto Mingyu's dick, the noise Mingyu makes is so loud that almost immediately they hear someone slamming a fist against the wall to " _ **SHUT THE FUCK UP**_ " in a voice that sounds strangely a lot like Jisoo of all people. Mingyu wants to cover his face with his hands, he is sadly aware of how his dick is harder than ever inside Junhui. 

Junhui laughs, reaching down to kiss Mingyu softly. And no, Mingyu can not examine why Junhui is very much ok and unbothered by the fact other people could hear them this entire time. Junhui somehow tightens even more around Mingyu and Mingyu can't think of anything at all.

"It's ok Mingyu-ah, I'll keep you quiet." He whispers as Mingyu pants into his mouth desperately and less actively kisses him back. Junhui winks at him, before raising himself up and then lowering himself down again. 

*

To Junhui's credit, he keeps to his word—Mingyu comes barely able to breathe with his tongue down Junhui's throat.

But at least no one comes in to yell at them.

It counts as a win in his book.

*

"Wait, wait—where is Jihoon?" Mingyu finally asks, after round four, completely spent from fucking Junhui's thighs and resigning himself to maybe having to burn his blanket and his sheets with how much action they've just seen. Junhui, smug, and content, looks increasingly like the cat that got the cream. 

"I may have told him we'd be taking over all his chores for the next week." He admits, raises himself on his elbows just the littlest bit to stretch his back. Mingyu, annoyed at being volunteered for more work without his input tries not to watch the sinews of his neck and shoulders. (He fails, Junhui keeps grinning). 

"But I didn't even agree to that."

"No, but you can't leave me to do it alone, can you? Don't you love me?" He's only teasing, but it's sad how much he understands Mingyu. Junhui, now armed with the knowledge of just how whipped Miingyu was for him, was going to be dangerous.

Mingyu finds he wouldn't have it any other way.

" _ **Fineee**_ , but only because you're my boyfriend and I'm the best boyfriend ever." They haven't technically said anything about dating besides confessions and Mingyu from experience knows that neither confessing nor sex nor both exactly leads to a relationship but well, he's got a good feeling on this one. Especially when Junhui gives a happy purr and nuzzles his chest. 

"I'll make it worth your while because I'm _**ALSO**_ the best boyfriend ever." He snickers, back to the deceptively childish hyung--it's almost adorable if it wasn't for the pearly sheen of Mingyu's come on his thighs.

Mingyu can't even fake disagreement, not when he has Junhui in his arms, giggling into his chest and they're stuck together and only have endless laundry duty to look forward to in the near future but he can't be bothered about it.

"Next time Mingyu-ah, let's stock up on condoms." Junhui whispers, following the request with a nip to his chest that has Mingyu's very spent dick twitching with some interest, even as oversensitivity has him feeling scrubbed raw. They've used up all the rest of the lube that Mingyu had hidden away and Mingyu didn't have a lot of condoms on him, to begin with so. It's a fair request. Still, he sighs at being asked to get something when he's so tired and satisfied and spent. 

Junhui snickers louder at his expression, leaning against him (rubbing Mingyu's come back onto his skin which is fine, it's fine, that's also Junhui's dick pressed against his) to kiss him deeper.

Mingyu makes a wordless noise of agreement, wrapping his arms around Junhui's trim waist almost instinctively.

*

_**Junhui is evil.** _

That's all Mingyu can think as he's hit in the face with water across the table at breakfast. Next to Junhui, looking deeply unsettled, Seungkwan holds up the spray bottle full of water almost threateningly. 

Junhui continues to eat his popsicle like it's a normal thing to eat and like he isn't covered in hickeys. He's smirking, completely at ease with the fact Mingyu's been caught ogling him when he's openly teasing him in the first place. Mingyu splutters indignantly. 

"I haven't even said anything." He whines, next to him Minghao chuckles even though he's got his hand on Seokmin's thigh and Seokmin's eating his cereal at a very strange pace. Traitor. Seungkwan's just too cowardly to attack the real culprits here.

"You don't need to, I can see it in your face. We have children here." Seungkwan asserts, jerking his head Chan's direction. Chan, who was currently nursing a nearly debilitating hangover near the kitchen counter, flips off Seungkwan with a bitten: "Fuck off Seungkwan-hyung, I've had more boyfriends than you." 

Mingyu gives a sigh of relief as Seungkwan, equal parts furious and judging trudges off to assault Chan with the spray bottle, Jeonghan makes chiding noises at the both of them from where he and Jisoo are trying to help set the table. Seungcheol laughs even as he gets hit in the face with water in the cross-fire. Mingyu watches as Wonwoo and Soonyoung deftly as a pair side-step the chaos near the stove. They're holding hands, and Mingyu refuses to acknowledge the slight limp Soonyoung has as he takes the seat Junhui vacates and—

Wait where did—

Junhui settles into Mingyu's lap without a care in the world. He politely says something to Minghao in Mandarin that has Minghao rolling his eyes and focusing his attention back to Seokmin. Seokmin does his utmost to keep eating despite being red in the face. 

"Go away I'm mad at you." Mingyu attempts to say, even though Junhui's reaching over to wipe away the water with a towel, laughing as he does so.

"Aww, should I make it up to you?" Junhui asks, not so subtly grinding against him as he settles against Mingyu again. Mingyu figures he'll be magnanimous and forgive Junhui this time, especially when Junhui offers up the rest of his popsicle. 

*

The world’s ended, some things have changed and some things haven’t.

Mingyu’s feelings on Junhui have, despite the end of the world, continued without restraint. 

Once he refused to do anything about his quiet hell besides accepting his feelings and trying to go on living. Now, with Junhui at his side, Mingyu's delighted to find that being in love, being with Junhui, actually isn't as terrifying and impossible as he had once thought. It's different sure, but it's wonderful and amazing and he's never been this happy before.

In some aspects, Mingyu’s life has changed, but that's fine.

Life goes on. 

*

_ **[EPILOGUE]** _

Mingyu's jaw drops as the metal trailer raises slightly then falls again onto the ground. Seungcheol beams with pride taking in the shocked silence around him. Wonwoo drops the book he'd been reading, no one dares make a noise, not even the alpacas. Jisoo, next to him, smiles like he's been finally allowed to tell a shocking secret.

"Told you I'd get it working." He announces as if somehow inventing flight was something easy. He gives a guffaw at their shell-shocked faces, eyes crinkling with glee. "Who's ready to go on an adventure?" 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm literally 6k into a Wonhui wip that's lasted 4 months and then this pivot I don't even know what has Left&Right done to me. Title is from [Wild Party's Life's Too Short](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6hFArOZgtA) which is my Mingyu pining song. Listen we need Kim Mingyu pining as a whole genre that spans multiple pairs please ok. Anyways, I'm back with fic, wow it has been a while lol.


End file.
